When SB19 took to the stage in Singapore this summer, the eruption of fan mania was deafening. A sold-out arena and thousands of lightsticks testified to their reach, but what makes the group remarkable isn’t the spectacle alone. Beyond the Boardroom speaks to the Filipino quintet about how they’re dismantling the boy-band archetype and rebuilding it into something that fuses culture, commerce and identity on their own terms.
To call SB19 a boy band entirely misses the point. They may have the synchronised looks, the harmonised vocals, the matching jackets and choreography nailed to the last beat, but the comparison stops there. Spend even a few minutes with the quintet and it’s obvious they aren’t interested in being packaged products, they’re intent on building something bigger. That much came through when Beyond the Boardroom caught up with them during their short August stint in Singapore, where they spoke openly about what it takes to thrive in today’s pop economy and why they’re determined to outgrow the stereotype.
The group—Pablo (John Paulo Nase), Josh (Josh Cullen Santos), Stell (Stellvester Ajero), Ken (Felip Jhon Suson) and Justin (Justin de Dios)—began training together in Manila in 2016. Signed under ShowBT Philippines, they endured nearly three years of unpaid, K-pop–style drills before debuting in 2018 with Tilaluha. Their breakthrough came in 2019, when Go Up went viral and turned five unknown trainees into the face of a burgeoning P-pop wave. That hard road shaped how they see themselves today: not as idols to be consumed, but as architects of something new.
“Maybe today we’re a boy band,” Pablo tells Beyond the Boardroom candidly during our conversation, “but next week we’re businessmen, entrepreneurs. People like to put us in boxes, but we always try to break the box… We’re just being authentic, and people see the vision.”
That vision has been a long time coming. In 2023, the group made the decisive move to part ways with their original management and establish their own company, 1Z Entertainment. The aim wasn’t only autonomy but structure: a system to nurture Filipino artists with the kind of infrastructure K-pop built decades ago, which their own careers had proved was missing. They still release music in distribution partnership with Sony Music, but the model is deliberately hybrid—creative control and business ownership on one side, global reach on the other.
“The industry has always been pretty scattered,” Josh reflects. “In our experience, there wasn’t one system or standard that truly promoted and supported Filipino artists. We wanted to help build that to get others as global-ready as we feel we’ve become.”
That thinking wasn’t just philosophical; it was sharpened by a close reading of how the market had shifted. Streaming and social media, especially platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Spotify, have cracked open the gates for Filipino acts to reach global audiences. “Now it’s much easier to put your music out there,” Josh adds. “And with Filipinos spread across the world, their support has really powered the globalisation of our music.”
Pablo agrees, stressing that their ambitions aren’t only about the group’s own success. “The benefits shouldn’t just stop with us,” he shares. “We want to create something that positively impacts the entire music industry, so more Filipino voices can be heard.”
That passion for industry change hasn’t eclipsed their commitment to craft. If anything, it has reinforced it. In conversation, the five are adamant that commercial growth can’t come at the expense of artistry. “In spite of everything—touring, business, even the pressure—we always keep creativity at the centre,” they tell me. “The process behind every song has to stay true.” Or as Stell puts it more plainly: “Whenever we do music, the message of the song is always the priority. Everything else—the visuals, the choreography—comes after.”
That insistence on balance between business and art, commerce and culture is what has begun to define them. Where many artists today aspire to be multi-hyphenates, SB19 are actively living it: performers, entrepreneurs, cultural representatives, and, just as importantly, individuals carving their own lanes.
Ken, for instance, speaks candidly about a long-held dream of pursuing fashion. “Before all this, I was planning to enrol in fashion school,” he said. “I still want to, maybe when I’m 40. I’m confident I’ve got the creativity to make something. I want to bring a more flamboyant, flashy style to the Philippines that I dream of. I want to start something like that, something bold, and inspire others to create their own unique style too.”
Justin too, has steadily honed his eye as a videographer, directing much of the group’s visual output. Stell, grounded in gospel and theatre, sees performance as a form of storytelling as much as entertainment. Pablo continues to write and produce much of their music, while Josh takes a lead in thinking about how to translate fandom into sustainable infrastructure. Each has his own following, ensuring the group’s appeal isn’t just collective but also multiplied by the individuality of its members.
Even with the accolades piling up from sold-out tours, Billboard chart placements, and a sold-out Arena @ Expo show in Singapore, the group resist the idea that they’ve already arrived. “People say we’ve done something different for the industry,” Pablo muses, “but honestly, we don’t feel that way yet. We’re still curious… still yearning to learn and grow.”
That sense of unfinished business is what keeps them moving. “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved,” Josh adds, “but we know it’s just the beginning. There’s so much more we want to explore, so many more stories we want to tell.”
Asked what legacy they hope to leave, Pablo is unequivocal. “Filipino culture is raw and passionate. Our mantra is to exceed our limits regardless of the situation and the resources. If you set your mind to something you really want to do, and you have the heart, follow it and do the best you can.”
They may still don the matching jackets and nail their harmonies, but SB19 are operating far beyond the stage. At once a label, a laboratory and a flagship, they stand as a guidepost for a Filipino music industry now staking its claim on the global stage.